In recent years, developments are eagerly made in a nonvolatile resistance change element with two terminals, as represented by a resistive random access memory (ReRAM). To manufacture a mass storage device by use of nonvolatile resistance change elements with two terminals, a rectifier element needs to be inserted in series with each of individual resistance change elements.
However, if rectifier elements are inserted in series with resistance change elements, each one of memory cells is formed of two elements, i.e., the resistance change element and the rectifier element. Therefore, the height of the memory cells enhances. As a result, the elements are difficult to miniaturize and involves a factor which hinders further enhancement of capacity of the storage device.
A resistance change element which internally has a rectification function may be manufactured in order to suppress processing difficulties from being enhanced by inserting rectifier elements and to provide a mass storage device which operates with excellent reliability. For example, United States Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0014707 (hereinafter referred to as US-2009/0014707) describes an example of a resistance change element as described above.
However, a conventional resistance change element internally having a rectification function exhibits a rectification property with only a low probability, and therefore causes difficulties in achieving a highly reliable mass storage device.